Boost for Boxall

Richard Boxall earned £25,000 as his share of second place in the Novotel Perrier Pairs last weekend. And he needed the money, judging by our conversation when I played with him in the Smurfit European Open pro-am two months ago.

His worst fears at the time were that he would lose European Tour status for the first time in 15 years. It has since become a reality which means, among other things, that he will show a serious deficit for the current season while creating a certain anxiety about 1999.

In a freak accident during the British Open at Royal Birkdale in 1992, Boxall broke a leg after driving off the ninth tee. "I went out in 34 and came back in an ambulance," was his memorable comment. Noted for his sense of humour, he now has something to smile about again.

"I need to earn about £100,000 to keep my head above water," he said. Prior to the Pairs tournament, his European Tour earnings for the season amounted to a modest £49,008 for 121st position in the Order of Merit, which meant he lost his card. But the 37-year-old from Camberley plans to return to the Qualifying School at San Roque and Sotogrande next month. And he can approach the test with some optimism after shooting a five-under-par 66 in Bordeaux. It meant that Boxall and his good friend and partner, Derrick Cooper, claimed the runner-up position for a second time in three years.

"Derrick and I had a really good week, and it was a nice way for me to finish the season," he added. "Now I've got to do well at the School and get back on the Tour."

The golfing fates have not been especially kind to this son of a scrap-metal dealer. In more serious moments after the broken leg at Birkdale he said: "It took my whole world away and made me realise what a nice life we have."

Ten years previously, when he was a highly-regarded English amateur international, injury deprived him of playing in the Walker Cup at Cypress Point as a team-mate of Ireland's Ronan Rafferty and Philip Walton. A year later, he came through the Qualifying School in 1982 and went on to gain his only professional victory in the 1990 Italian Open.

In fact 1990 was his best year in that he gained selection on the England World Cup team and played in the team which lost to Ireland in the final of the Dunhill Cup at St Andrews. He ended that season 17th in the Order of Merit with official earnings of £148,799.